


A Year To Marry

by MountingZion



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, Male-Female Friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-11-30 17:40:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11468454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MountingZion/pseuds/MountingZion
Summary: “'I’m going to give you a year. Should you not find a proper individual to marry by the end of the year…' Ryan didn’t need to hear him finish the sentence. He knew how it ended."





	1. Chapter 1

Ryan was an only child and the single heir to his father’s wealth. It put a lot of pressure on the young man as he grew up. He was enrolled in the most expensive and impressive schools in the country. He was tutored extensively and rarely had the time to socialize with other kids his age. He grew up to become an incredibly smart man. He was tall and lean. His father made sure he grew strong and healthy. He had light brown hair that he kept a bit longer and pulled back. His eyes were a piercing bright blue.

He was coming upon his 24th birthday and he had yet to marry. His father grew impatient and arranged meetings for Ryan to meet the children of his fellow businessmen. Each meeting felt stale and boring to Ryan. His father was growing more and more irritated with each unsuccessful date.

After the last scheduled date, Ryan’s father burst into a furious rage as Ryan told him that he was turning down yet another possible marriage.

“Why do you refuse to marry any of them, Ryan? Do you not care about taking on your heritage?”

“I don’t love any of them, father,” Ryan had tried to plead his case but he knew he was speaking to deaf ears.

“I don’t give a damn if you love them!” Ryan’s father slammed his fist onto the wall. “I didn’t love your mother when I married her! I married her because I could not carry on my father’s business until I had!”

Ryan stormed out of the house and away from the situation. He had spent his whole life doing as his father pleased, but Ryan’s marriage was going to be his own decision. He didn’t want to live the rest of his life in a loveless relationship like his father and mother.

He hid inside the stables while he waited for his father to go to bed. When he saw the lights finally die out her returned to his home to find the doors locked. He had left his keys inside the house before he left. He went back to the stables with a heavy sigh and wrapped himself in a dirty, old blanket. He fell asleep on the cold floor.

 

\---

 

The next morning, he felt a hand softly rocking him awake. The sun had just begun to come up, the sky lighting up a soft orange. Ryan looked away from the sky to see who had woke him up. The newest of their farm hands was crouching next to him. Regardless of how hard Ryan was trying, he could not remember the man’s name. His family had hired him only 3 months ago and he often worked when Ryan was still asleep.

This was the first time he had seen the farm hand up close. His hair was a light brown and cut short. His eyes were a deep, comforting brown. His brow was furrowed, confused as to why Ryan was curled up on the floor. His lips looked soft. His beard was surprisingly well groomed and cut to line his jaw. His shoulders were wide. He was brawny from working in the stables every night and morning. His chest was large and his legs were sturdy. Despite his size, his grip on Ryan was gentle.

“Sir Haywood, are you okay?”

Ryan suddenly realized he had been staring at the farm hand for an extended amount of time. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

“Sorry, yes I’m okay,” Ryan pushed himself off of the hard floor. His body ached in ways he’d never felt. “Thank you, uh…”

“Jeremy,” he held his hand out towards Ryan. Standing up, the robust man was distinctly smaller than Ryan had expected. Jeremy was nearly a few inches away from being a foot shorter than Ryan.

“Nice to meet you.” Ryan said as he shook the man’s hand.

“His Lordship asked for me to inform you that you were to meet him for breakfast this morning, sir.”

Ryan felt his blood heat up at the mention of his father, their fight from the night before fresh in his mind. The worst scenarios came to his mind first. The last time his father asked him to breakfast was when he was first told he had to become married to inherit the family business.

“Thank you,” Ryan walked away from the farm hand, brushing the straw and dirt from his clothes. His mind raced with thoughts of running away. He could disappear now and never have to hear what he thinks his father may say to him. He froze in front of the door, hand gripped around the door handle. It took him multiple deep breaths before he could walk inside.

He trudged down the main hallway to the large dining room. His father was sitting at the head of the table, drinking coffee and reading the morning’s paper. He didn’t look up when Ryan walked in. Nor did he look as Ryan took a seat a few chairs away from him.

“Would you like a coffee as well, young master?” One of the older servants stood beside Ryan once he had sat down. She was smiling gently.

“No, thank you,” Ryan smiled meekly at the elderly woman.

The two men sat in a still silence that was only broken by the occasional page turn. Ryan’s anxiety rose with every passing minute that his father did not speak. He was gripping his knees so hard that his knuckles were turning white.

“I’ve made a decision, Ryan.” His father’s words came out so suddenly that Ryan felt himself jump. Ryan stared at the older man, his heart beating out of his chest as the man continued flipping through pages. “Your mother pleaded that I give you more time. I was not feeling generous, but she threatened to leave me if I were not to do as she asked.”

Ryan wasn’t sure if he should feel relieved.

“I’m going to give you a year. Should you not find a proper individual to marry by the end of the year…” Ryan didn’t need to hear him finish the sentence. He knew how it ended.

“Thank you, father,” Ryan couldn’t conjure the strength to talk barely above a murmur.

Ryan stood up from the table and bowed lightly to his father. He walked away from the room and to the staircase. Once he knew he was out of the judging sight, he began to weep softly. He silently moved to his bedroom. Once his door was shut, he slid down to the ground, letting out choked sobs.


	2. Chapter 2

It’s not that Ryan didn’t want the dates to go well. He was trying with all his heart to like the sons and daughters of his father’s wealthy friends, but each one felt more uninteresting as the next. All of them were heavily involved with their family businesses and were proud to take on their heritages. This wasn’t a bad thing, it’s just that Ryan didn’t want to marry someone who was as invested as they all seemed to be. Ryan didn’t care for business. He liked science and philosophy. If he could, Ryan would be a scholar.

Ryan only had one last arranged meeting to go to. After that, Ryan was going to have to start planning his own dates. Due to Ryan having gone to schools from all around growing up, he did not know many people near his age in his hometown. He was wishing with everything he had for this date to be successful.

 

\---

 

The date started the same way as they all did. Ryan and his father would ride to the home of whoever Ryan was to meet with that night. His father would introduce him to the parent of the date and then the date themself. His father would stay to speak with the parent and Ryan and his date would be taken wherever his father had set up.

The ride was silent as the stagecoach bounced along. His father hadn’t spoken to him all morning. Ryan hadn’t eaten or drank anything all morning; his stomach was in a knot. Ryan felt like crawling out of his skin and hiding under the covers of his bed. They pulled up in front of a large house, similar to the rest; tall metal gate, large wooden doors, acres of land being tended to by their personal groundskeepers.

Ryan stepped out of the couch after his father. Before they had reached the top of the stairs leading to the wrap around porch along the front of the house, one of the large doors opened. A large, plump, burly man stood in the doorframe. Ryan had met the man before. He was the owner of multiple general stores around the state.

“Haywood, a sight for sore eyes,” the man grabbed Lord Haywood’s hand in a strong shake.

“Turney, chipper as always,” he was barely able to keep his footing with how forcefully his hand was being shook.

“Come on in, old man,” Lord Turney moved aside, making just enough room for the two to enter the estate.

The interior was lavish with tall, deep purple walls reaching 15 feet tall. Every accent piece was a bright gold. Lord Turney was not a subtle man. He motioned for them to move towards the living room. The two lords sat across from each other, enjoying hot tea that the servants brought them. Ryan sat on an uncomfortable, gaudy couch a bit further away.

“So you’re finally going to take on the business, Ryan.”

Ryan looked up from the spot on the floor he had been fixated on. He was surprised he was being pulled into the conversation.

“Uh, yes. I figured it was about time.” Ryan faked a smile.

“You’re right about that, son,” Lord Turney laughed.

“Master, Lady Megan says she is prepared to come down now,” an older man bowed down to the two Lords and left the room.

“Finally! I love her with all my heart, but she takes such a long time to prepare herself.”

Lord Turney stood, Ryan and his father following behind him. They walked out into the main foyer. He turned to watch the stairs as his daughter came down to meet their guests.

She was beautiful. Her long dark hair was smooth and straightened, pulled over one shoulder. She had glowing brown eyes and rosy cheeks. Her dress was a deep emerald green, long and frilled. Ryan admitted to himself that she was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. She had gone to schools across the country. Ryan had never met her and the last time Lord Haywood had seen her was when she was a little girl. When she reached the end of the stairs, Ryan noticed she was about a foot shorter than her.

“Meg, this is Lord James Haywood and his son Ryan Haywood,” Lord Turney introduced his guests as Lady Megan strode over the wood floor to them.

“Ah yes, Lord Haywood, owner of Haywood Dairy,” she curtsied deeply to the man. “And his son and lone heir, Ryan,” she held out her hand as Ryan took it and placed a gentle kiss to her knuckle. “A pleasure to finally meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine, my lady,” Lord Haywood smiled at the young woman.

“Well you two have a swell night,” Lord Turney wrapped an arm around Lady Megan and placed a kiss on the top of her head. “You shall have her back before nightfall. Treat her well, young Haywood, or you shall have a great enemy on your hands.”

Ryan smiled politely at the man. He moved to the large doors and held one open for Lady Megan to exit. Ryan caught his father’s eye before leaving. He could hear the warnings and threats in his head without his father having to speak.

 

\---

 

The ride to the establishment had been quiet. Were it not for how poised and elegant Megan was, Ryan would’ve guessed she was just as nervous as he was. Ryan stepped out of the coach, holding out his hand to help Lady Megan down. His father had chosen an exceptionally fancy restaurant for them to dine in. An attendant took their coats and they were showed to their table by a well dressed waiter. Ryan pulled out Lady Megan’s chair for her.

The waiter left after they had given him their orders. The room was large and lit only by the candles at each table. There was a small band playing at the back of the room. Couples the age of their parents were sat at every table. Ryan felt as if he was looking at his future. It made him uneasy.

“So, Ryan,” Megan spoke suddenly. “Are you excited to take on your father’s business?”

“Well, I’m as prepared as I’m ever going to be, so I might as well start,” Ryan could no longer muster sounding excited about it after having had the same conversation repeatedly. “You’ll be the first female owner of your father’s business, correct?”

“You’d think that, but no. My great-grandmother was actually the first.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Do you visit the dairy farms very often?”

“Once every months me and my father go and inspect. Do you visit the stores?”

“I’ve only ever visited the one in town. My father prefers that I stay home and learn about the more technical parts of it all.”

Ryan nodded in response. Despite having had conversations like this every week for the past few months, he hadn’t gotten any better at it.

They fell into silence. The soft music from the band kept it from feeling uncomfortable. It wasn’t until their entrees had been brought out that they started talking again.

“So what do you do when you’re not working?” Megan stated in between bites of her salad.

“Um, well I spend a lot of time reading.” Ryan was surprised to be asked about something other than his future.

“What do you like to read?”

“Just about anything. I mainly like reading about scientific discoveries.”

“Do you ever read fiction?” Megan actually seemed interested, which was new for Ryan.

“Yes, occasionally.” “Have you ever read anything by Ken Levine? His Bioshock series is absolutely stunning. I couldn’t put it down.”

Ryan stopped mid-slice of his steak. She was the first person he had ever met to have also read Levine’s work. He must’ve looked incredulous, because Megan became suddenly very interested in her salad.

“It’s my favorite series, actually.”

Megan looked up at him and they both smiled. The rest of their dinner was spent discussing the series, sharing their own theories and thoughts on how the story would continue. Megan admitted that she wanted to design outfits and that she had made sketches of the characters’ designs. She had taken up sewing as a hobby when she was in school.

“I’d love to make Elizabeth’s outfit. From the descriptions in the book I could very easily look like her”

“Well,” Ryan muttered sheepishly. “Maybe you could also make Booker’s outfit for me one day. I-If you’d like to, that is, my lady.”

Megan’s face lit up. Ryan was the first one to ever ask her to make something for someone. Most people turned down her dream, claiming she had too much responsibility as it is.

“I’d love to do that, Ryan. Also, you can call me Meg.”

Ryan could feel his face heating up. It had been a long time since Ryan had felt like he had made a new friend.

 

\---

 

The ride back to the Turney residence was much different than their ride to the restaurant. Ryan felt extremely relaxed. They found out there were more books and series that they both liked. The conversation felt natural and easy. They didn’t discuss business or marriage or their families. It felt like for once they could both just focus on their own interests.

“Is it bad that I almost wish that I didn’t have to go back home?”

Meg was staring out the window of the stage coach. Ryan recognized the look on her face. He had felt the same way for several months now.

“I know what you mean.”

They had pulled into the gates, approaching the main doors to the estate. Lord Turney and Lord Haywood were sitting in wicker chairs on the porch, burnt cigars sitting in a dish on a small table beside them. Ryan and Meg could feel the stares their fathers were giving before they had even come fully into view.

“Can I see you again, Meg?”

Meg turned to Ryan who looked the same way she felt. She smiled gently.

“Yeah, I’d like that."

 

\---

 

“So you want to see her, again?” Ryan’s father seemed beside himself that Ryan had enjoyed his date. Ryan knew he wasn’t excited for him possibly finding someone he actually liked. Ryan hung his coat in the closet, and moved to the main room. His father was telling one of the servants to grab a bottle of wine. He was smiling more than Ryan had ever seen before. While the situation should have made Ryan feel relaxed, he instead felt even more anxious.

“By the end of the month, we’ll have a wedding on our hands.”

“I didn’t say I wanted to marry her, father. All I said was that I wanted to see her again.”

“Yes, but you’ll see her again and then again and then you’ll be speaking of wedding her and then the business will be off my hands. Ha!” Lord Haywood poured two glasses of wine and held one out for his son. Ryan took it and clank glasses with his father, but set it down without taking a drink.

Ryan turned to leave the room when his father spoke. Ryan couldn’t look at him.

“Ryan, you’re going to marry that girl and take on this business. That is your future.”

Ryan felt a sour taste in his mouth and quickly made his way to his bedroom. He had only known Meg for one day, how could he know if he loved her already? He felt like throwing up. He moved to the window, staring out at the night sky, hoping it would calm his nerves.

A light from the stables caught his eye. The farm hand from a few days before had turned on a lantern and had just gotten to the estate and was getting ready to work. Ryan watched him as he moved around, fixing small items, patting and feeding the horses, tending to the weeds that had begun to grow around the stable. Ryan couldn’t figure out what it was about the man that intrigued him so much. When he left the stable to start working farther into the land, Ryan shut his curtains and turned in for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter down, I don't know how many more to go.   
> Thank you for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Ryan woke up earlier than his usual time. Meg had decided that their next time seeing each other they’d go to the morning market. Ryan had never been before and was honestly thrilled to be going. He woke up a few hours before he intended to, but his excitement to be awake was more powerful than his want to stay in bed. He bounced out of bed and ran to the curtains, drawing them open. The sky was clear and the sunrise was beautiful. He pushed open the window, breathing in the crisp morning air. 

He stared out over the property, looking over the land. He realized that he never appreciated it before. He looked over to the main stable where the farmhand from days before was working again. Ryan was rarely awake while he was there. Ryan strode over to his closet, quickly throwing on a casual outfit before jogging outside to the stables. 

Ever since seeing the farmhand a few nights before he’d been trying to think of a reason to talk with him. Ryan wanted to know the man more. He wanted to find out what it was about him that caused Ryan to feel the way he did when he saw him. It took Ryan a while, but he finally came up with the best excuse.

Jeremy looked up from the horseshoe he was cleaning to see Ryan running over. He stood up and greeted him, surprised to see him awake this early in the morning. 

“Good morning, sir. How can I help you?”

“Jeremy, correct?” Ryan was breathing a bit heavy from the jog over. He had underestimated how long of a distance it was.

“Yes, sir.”

“Can you do me a favor? I haven’t ridden a horse in a few years and I’d like to learn how to again.”

“Um, sure, sir. I can help you with that.” Jeremy walked away to grab a saddle and some riding gloves for the young master. 

Ryan was holding back a huge smile as Jeremy left. He strode over to the horses, lovingly patting one on its side. 

“So what all do you remember about riding a horse?” Jeremy set a saddle on top of the horse Ryan was standing beside. 

“I know how to get on a horse and how to get ‘em moving, but I don’t remember how to handle them.”

“Ah, good! This’ll be an easy lesson for you. I know you don’t have much time because you are meeting with Lady Megan this morning.”

“How do you know about that?” Ryan was hoping Jeremy wouldn’t know about his date. He’s not really sure why he felt that way, but he did.

“I’m sorry. Lord Haywood had just informed me to make sure everything was prepared today.” Jeremy seemed as if he regretted talking about it, waiting to be punished for speaking out of turn.

“Oh okay, You’re fine, I just hadn’t known that word had spread around.”

Jeremy finished strapping the saddle around the horse and handed Ryan a pair of gloves. Jeremy held out a hand to offer help for Ryan to climb on. Ryan sheepishly accepted his help and clumsily climbed on top of the steed. 

“Maybe you could walk me around the estate. I’ve been meaning to take a gander around the area again for a while. You could show me around and keep a hand on the horse in case I lose control.”

“Sure, if that’s what you would like, sir.”

Ryan was beginning to feel as if he was making Jeremy feel awkward. He was suddenly asking a lot of him on a random morning. Ryan had no doubt that his father was putting pressure on the farmhand to make everything spotless for his date with Meg. Ryan never really did like how his father treated their servants.

“That is unless you’d prefer not to. I’m sure you must be leaving for home soon and my father is probably expecting a lot of work from you this morning.”

“Oh, well yes, but I don’t mind, sir. You are also my lord, so I can do what both of you ask of me.”

Ryan groaned internally. He felt awful now for taking up the man’s time. He was about to call the whole thing off until he saw Jeremy wrap the lead around the horse’s head and begin to move him forward, out of the stable and into the dim morning light. Seeing the way the sunrise highlighted all of the best of Jeremy’s features made Ryan lose his train of thought.

\---

“And right over here are the vegetable farms. We just recently harvested all the lettuce, so don’t be surprised by the large empty section.”

Despite the fact that Ryan did want to be shown how all of their land was being taken care of, he couldn’t take his eyes of Jeremy. Ryan felt a warm feeling in his chest as he watched the way Jeremy excitedly explained the vegetable and fruit gardens. He could tell how much Jeremy cared about the area. He talked about the property the way a proud parent talked about their child. He knew everything. If it weren’t that Ryan knew better, he’d believe Jeremy had been working here for years. Jeremy smiled and waved to every worker they passed and sometimes paused to ask what was happening and what was going to be happening while he was gone. 

“Sir, would it be okay for me to ask you a question?”

“Sure, go on ahead.” Ryan felt his face heat up. He was afraid of what Jeremy would want to know.

“Some nights I see the light in your room stay lit into the late hours of the night. What are you doing those nights?”

“Oh, well… Some nights I find a new book in my father’s library that I’ve never seen before. On those nights I delve into it and I lose track of time. Before I know it, I’m closer to when I need to wake up than I am to when I should’ve gone to sleep.”

Jeremy chuckled softly at Ryan’s response. The sound made Ryan’s stomach explode with butterflies. His hold on the reins became tighter.

“Do you ever read, Jeremy?”

Jeremy seemed to be caught off guard by the question. Ryan was afraid it was too personal. Ryan had to keep reminding himself that he was the son of Jeremy’s employer and that there were certain boundaries he was expected to keep. 

“I used to read to my mom before I went to bed every night. She wanted me to be educated.” Jeremy smiled to himself, caught up in his memories. “She would say, ‘Now grab whatever book you want and come over here and read to me. No boy of mine is growing up not knowing how to read.’ Every month she’d purchase a new book and have me read it to her that same night. She’d have the biggest smile on her face the entire time and as soon as I’d begin to yawn she’d tell me that was enough for the night.”

“She sounds like a wonderful lady.”

“She was.”

Ryan’s heart sank. In that moment he wished he could’ve hugged the man. Ryan knew that would be unacceptable, but he felt awful for bringing up something so incredibly personal. 

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jeremy cut Ryan off. He genuinely didn’t seem to be bothered to talk about it. 

“How did she die, if you don’t mind my asking.”

“She was sick for a long time. My dad and I took care of her everyday. She couldn’t leave her bed so we learned to cook for her. My father taught me how to repair anything so that way if anything happened while he was gone, I could fix it,” Jeremy paused for a moment. Ryan knew it must’ve been something painful to think about. “One morning I came into her room with her breakfast and she looked… weak. Weaker than normal. She smiled gently to me and told me she loved me. She asked if that night we could read one of her favorite books… My dad came to my school later that day and pulled me out of class. She had died in her sleep in the late afternoon.”

Ryan couldn’t think of anything to say. There wasn’t anything he could say to possibly comfort Jeremy. Jeremy turned to Ryan and smiled sorrowfully. 

“I was 10 when she died. I’ve had my time to mourn and move forward with my life. I miss her and thanks to her I now read before I go to bed every morning.”

They traveled in silence for a little while. Ryan had forgotten how large their land was. There was a small lake that was near the end of the property. It was oblong and shallow but 

Ryan enjoyed watching the dragonflies dance around the edge. The sun was fully out now and Ryan could feel the morning dew beginning to dry up. Ryan thought a while before he could think of another question to ask.

“Do you like being a farmhand, Jeremy?”

“I do. It reminds me of simpler days and I find the work easy. Plus with the time of day that I work I get to see both the sunset and the sunrise.”

Ryan smiled at Jeremy’s response. It was nice to talk to someone who had a more positive view on life. Ryan was happy to know more about the man, but he didn’t feel satisfied yet. Ryan thought that his ride with Jeremy would ease his interest, but it only seemed to fuel it more.

“Would you mind if we did this again someday soon?” Ryan spoke before he thought. He bit his tongue, swearing at himself internally.

“That would be nice, sir.” Jeremy smiled at the young lord. Ryan’s cheeks went red and he smiled back. 

\---

The ride had taken them a little longer than Ryan had expected. He quickly said goodbye to Jeremy and then ran to the house to clean himself up. He had forgotten how much riding a horse jolted you. He knew he was going to be walking wrong the following morning. 

When Ryan exited the bathroom he came face to face with his father who could have had steam coming out of his ears with how red his face was. 

“Where have you been all morning?” his father spout.

“I had one of the farmhands show me around the property. I thought it would be best if I learned the land a bit better, considering it’s going to be mine soon.” 

“You have to meet Lady Megan in less than an hour! You should be in the stagecoach right now!”

“It doesn’t take me that long to dress father, I’ll be gone soon.”

Ryan slunk into his room, trying to escape the furious stare of his father. He dressed quickly and frantically. When he got to the stagecoach he was still buttoning his shirt.

“You really need to work on your time management, dear,” Ryan’s mother was sitting on the porch, waiting to wave goodbye to Ryan as he left. His father was sitting beside her, taking a drag from a cigar. 

Ryan stepped into the coach, thanking the servant who was holding his door open. He knew he’d have to apologize furiously to Meg if he made her wait on him. 

\---

“About time, Haywood,” Meg teased Ryan as he stepped out of his coach. Meg was sitting on a small bench near the beginning of the market. 

“I apologize, Lady Turney. Time got away from me this morning.”

“It’s a good thing I slept in a bit late this morning, then.” She smiled at Ryan as she took his arm. Even dressed in a more casual manner, she was still indescribably beautiful. She pulled out a small decorative umbrella to shade herself from the rising run. “So you said you’ve never been to the market before.”

“My father tends to have me studying this early in the morning, so it’s nice to be doing something new.”

The market was bustling and loud with shoppers and vendors. Small children ran around playing with new toys their parents had gotten them. The market was held close to the outside of the city so vendors from nearby towns had come in. Townspeople greeted the two and parted ways to let them pass. Parents pulled their children away, scolding them for running in front of a Lord and Lady.

“It’s days like this that I wish I could just blend in with the rest of the townspeople.”

“Makes you feel like you have some sort of disease that they’re all afraid they’ll catch.”

They continued looking through the different booths. Meg bought herself a few pieces of jewelry with Ryan was happy to carry for her. Ryan bought a few books which Meg teased him for. The two were about to leave when Meg spotted a beautiful booth filled with flowers. Some had been painted gold. She let go of Ryan’s arm and walked over to the booth, almost lost in a trance.

“Ryan, look at this,” Meg waved him over. “I’ve never seen someone paint roses before.”

“Would you like one, my lady?” A thin man with a strong british accent came out from behind the booth. He had light brown hair that stuck upwards and a thick beard. “A beautiful lady like you can have any rose you would like, free of charge.”

Meg blushed at the kind comment and giggled softly. Ryan knew that in this situation he was supposed to feel jealous, but he didn’t. He walked over, admiring the painted flowers. 

“How about this one,” the man took a golden rose and cut off part of the stem with a pair of cutters he had in his back pocket. He gently moved some of Meg’s hair and placed the rose steam behind her ear. “Now don’t worry, I cut off all the thorns before I painted them.”

Meg smiled at the gesture and moved her hair to the opposite shoulder. 

“Well thank you, but how could I ever repay you for such a beautiful gift?”

“Keep smiling like that and it’s all the repayment I’ll ever need.” He took her hand and gently kissed her knuckle. He then moved back behind the booth to continue working. 

Meg turned to look at Ryan and her face went red. She looked embarrassed to have been smooth talked by an absolute stranger selling flowers. 

“It looks wonderful on you,” Ryan smiled genuinely. He was happy to see someone treat her like just a beautiful woman instead of a Lady. 

“Why, thank you,” Meg took Ryan’s arm again. 

They walked through the market a bit more before deciding that they had seen everything. Meg’s coach was waiting at the entrance of the market where Ryan had met her. His coach was right behind hers. Ryan helped her into her coach, holding her hand as she climbed in.

“Thank you, Ryan. Today was wonderful.”

“You’re the one who dragged me out of my home. Thank you, Meg. We should come here again next week.”

“We should,” Meg smiled wide.

Ryan shut her door and waved her goodbye as she left and then climbed into his own coach. Ryan was almost bouncing in his seat, excitedly thinking about getting to come back in a week’s time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping to keep the pace I'm at with posting one each day, but I've had the few days off and I don't know how I'm going to feel after working a long day.
> 
> Thank you, as always, for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

Ryan leaned out his window, staring out into the darkness. The sky was clear and the moon and stars were bright. The air was cold with a soft breeze rustling the trees. 

Ryan wasn’t sure when it started, but he had made a habit of watching Jeremy begin his work every night. Jeremy always started in the stables, feeding the horses and lightly grooming them. After about an hour he’d move on to the rest of the property. That hour became Ryan’s favorite part of his day. Watching Jeremy work gave Ryan an odd sense of comfort.

Jeremy picked up his lantern from a hook near the entrance and moved his way out into the estate. Ryan smiled and shut his window, drawing the curtains. Ryan fell into his bed, thinking about the next few days to come. 

 

\----

 

Ryan’s stagecoach pulled in front of the Turney residence’s entrance. Lord Turney and Meg were sitting on the porch, enjoying morning tea. Meg smiled wide when Ryan stepped out of the coach. Ryan bowed respectfully and Meg bowed gracefully. Lord Turney seemed beside himself to see the two so happy to see one another. 

“Haywood, what a pleasure to see you this morning,” Lord Turney stood and met Ryan at the end of the porch steps for a handshake. “Off to the ferry's today, I hear.”

“Correct, Lord Turney,” Ryan smiled at the man, shaking his hand firmly. “Lady Megan and I are going to ride the river.”

“Well keep an eye on that alcohol, Haywood. I know what those ferries are like. Before you know it, it’s tomorrow.” 

Ryan chuckled along. Lord Turney was a harsh businessman, but a good soul. He laughed and joked often when Ryan came to meet Meg. 

“Father, don’t go chasing him off,” Meg joined them at the bottom of the stairs.Lord Turney chuckled at Meg’s chide. Meg was wearing a low collared pale pink dress that only had two layers, so that she didn’t heat up in the evening sun. She had a large white sunhat with small flowers adorning the crown. “Good morning, Ryan.”

“Good morning, Meg.”

“I will be home before nightfall,” Meg kissed her father’s cheek and stepped into the coach. Ryan followed after.

Lord Turney waved to them as they left the property. Ryan felt like a weight had been lifted once they left the estate. Ryan could see that Meg felt the same.

“Before this whole marriage thing, I used to spend almost all my time with him. We shared everything; our time, our space, our honesty. Then he wanted me married and that’s all he seems to care about anymore.”

The last time Ryan and Meg were together they admitted how much they hated the arranged marriage meetings that their parents were setting them on. Meg had apparently turned down all of her potentials as well. They told each other about their dreams of love and happiness with a spouse they chose. Meg hadn’t been one for making friends growing up, either, which is how they landed in the same position. 

“I’m sorry, Meg,” Ryan leant forward and put a hand on Meg’s knee. 

Meg smiled, taking Ryan’s hand and rubbing her thumb over it. 

“Were you close with your father before all of the marriage pressure?”

“No, not really,” Ryan leant back against his seat. “He sent to schools all over the country, so I only really saw him during the summer. During the summer we used to do a lot together and we often went on vacations, but everything was always centered around my father. Our trips only happened because my father had to visit a business owner. My mother idolizes him, so whatever he says goes. I was expected to see him as a god since the day I was born and I just never really hopped on that ship.”

“I’m so sorry, Ryan,” Meg moved over to where she was sitting next to Ryan. She leaned her head on his shoulder. 

Ryan had forgotten what being comforted felt like. His mother would rock him and soothe him when he was little, but after his schooling began, that all ended. His father wanted him to become a strong man, and that meant he couldn’t be coddled. Meg’s warmth spreading along Ryan’s left side nearly made him cry. He melted into the touch, leaning his head on top of Meg’s. 

 

\----

 

The ferry was crowded with Lords and Ladys and servants, all moving around, swaying softly to the band playing on the upper deck. Ryan and Meg moved over to the railing, leaning over and watching the water rush by. Meg took a sip from a glass of wine a waiter had just offered her. The two were slowly making their way around the bottom deck. 

Meg and Ryan were comparing stories of their past dates and how badly they could go. They turned the corner and came face to face with a merchant boy. Ryan caught Meg as they were pushed backwards. The merchant fell onto his bottom, dropping two handfuls of flowers. Ryan apologised and bent down, picking up some of the flowers. That’s when Ryan noticed that some of them had been painted.

The british man from the morning market stood up, apologising in a quick accent that neither Meg nor Ryan could answer. After scrambling for a minute he paused and noticed who the two he ran into were. He smiled at Meg and handed her a group of flowers, bowing deeply and apologizing clearly. 

“I am so sorry for running into you, ma’am,” he grinned at Meg in the same flirtatious way he had before. “WIll you accept his small bouquet of flowers and forgive me?”

Meg chuckled and took the flowers, looking over the array of colors he had painted them. 

“Do you always expect painted flowers to lead your way?”

The man’s grin faltered until Meg’ began to laugh and then it grew into an ear to ear smile. He took Meg’s hand and kissed her knuckle. 

“My name is Gavin. Lovely to meet you again,” Gavin turned and took the flowers out of Ryan’s hands as he was standing. He then left down the passageway, turning out of their sight. 

“Do you always lovingly stare at men who give you free flowers?” Ryan joked.

“At least he gives me flowers,” Meg responded.

Ryan faked a gasp. Meg elbowed him slightly, making Ryan laugh. Ryan held his arm out to Meg and they continued their way upstairs. 

 

\----

 

Meg seemed off after they ran into the flower painter. She never met Ryan’s eye and she answered with one word statements. Ryan felt as if he did something wrong and greatly wanted to make it up to her. They sat in silence as the coach headed towards her estate. Ryan could feel the tension building up on him. 

“I’m sorry for what ever it was that I did that made you feel bad,” Ryan didn’t know what he was apologizing for, but he didn’t want to have her avoiding him when he was only a few feet away from her anymore. 

“What?” Meg turned to Ryan, fully looking at him for the first time in a couple hours.

“I must’ve done something wrong to make you not talk to me.”

“Oh, oh no, Ryan,” Meg shook her head. “No, no, you did nothing wrong. I just…” Meg took a deep breath. She seemed to be on edge about whether or not she should say what she was thinking. “I can’t get that merchant face out of my head. I know we saw him at the market, but something about him is just… familiar and I can’t figure out why.”

“Oh,” Ryan felt the tension leave his shoulders. “I could have someone figure out who he is if you’d like.”

“Thank you, but it’s okay. I’ll think of it at some point. I’ve just been wracking my mind  
since last time to figure it out. It’s been driving me mad.”

“Maybe he’s a famous run away british artist whose unique skill was flowers!”

“Now you sound like my romance novels,” Meg chuckled. 

 

\-----

 

Jeremy walked up to the Haywood estate’s stables, surprised to see it already lit up by a lantern hanging near the entrance. He slowed his pace, walking cautiously forward.

“Hello?”

Ryan popped up from behind the horse he was brushing. He smiled and waved hello to Jeremy. Jeremy sighed in relief, and continued into the stable. 

“You surprised me, sir. I thought you might have been a thief.”

“I’m sorry. I hadn’t meant to scare you.”

Jeremy set down his lantern on top of a barrel and blew out the light. He went back into his work station and grabbed his gloves and work equipment. Ryan finished brushing his horse when Jeremy came back out. 

“What are you doing out here at this time of night, sir? There’s a bed in the back, you don’t have to sleep on the floor again.”

Ryan’s face went red and he chuckled and shook his head.

“No, I don’t plan on sleeping out here again. I was simply going to ask you something.”

Jeremy looked at Ryan in confusion. They had been going for walks or horse rides for the past couples of weeks. Ryan had memorized the land already and was doing fine with horse handling. 

“What do you want to know, sir?”

“I was wondering if you’d like to take a walk into town with me tomorrow morning. That is, if you’re not too tired. We can go when you’re due to leave or later or whatever you’d prefer.”

Jeremy didn’t respond for a few minutes. He just stood there and stared at Ryan in bewilderment. Ryan was afraid he had officially stepped out of bounds. He began to brush the other horse, pretending that the building tension with every second that Jeremy didn’t respond wasn’t weighing down on him.

“Sure.” Ryan turned to look at Jeremy, who was sheepishly staring at the ground. “I’d like to go with you.”

Ryan smiled and turned back to the horse, trying not to show how happy he was. 

 

\----

 

Sunlight peered through the side of Ryan’s drapes, shining in his eyes. He flinched away, initially curling up, but then he remembered what his plans for the day were. He threw his blankets off and stood into a stretch. He quickly moved to the restroom, cleaning up and preparing for his morning. 

Ryan walked outside to the stables, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. He waved to Jeremy who was washing up with a bucket of water and soap. Jeremy waved back, grabbing a towel and putting the rest of his work away. 

“Would you like something to eat before we go?”

“I already had my meal, but thank you,sir.” Jeremy smiled. “I have to change into something cleaner and then I’ll be ready to join you, sir.”

Ryan nodded in response, moving to pet one of the horse’s nuzzle. Jeremy moved to a small room a little bit away, but still visible to Ryan from where he was standing. Jeremy unbuttoned his overshirt, throwing the sweaty fabric onto a work chair. Ryan looked up as Jeremy pulled up his undershirt. Ryan would like to say that he was a gentleman and turned away, but he’d be a liar. Ryan felt frozen in time as he saw Jeremy’s bare skin. His stomach hair traveled up to his chest. Ryan could already tell Jeremy was well-built with a shirt on, but his breath hitched when he saw the definition in his muscles from having worked all night. 

Before he could take in every inch of his upper body, Jeremy was pulling on a clean shirt. It pulled Ryan out of his trance and he went back to petting the horse. He didn’t need a mirror to know that he was the color of a tomato. 

“Are you ready to go, sir?”

Ryan looked up to Jeremy who looked cleaner than he did when he came onto the property the night before. Ryan smiled.

“I’m ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's late at night, I'm tired, and there's probably a grammar mistake or two but who cares. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!!!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and thank you for reading!  
> This chapter is a bit shorter than most are going to be. This started as a random idea and I don't know how many chapters this will be, but please stick around.  
> I hope you have a good day and I hope you enjoy this fic!


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